Many vehicles are provided with light sources adjacent the vehicle license plate for illuminating the license plate or other target surface of the vehicle in low light conditions. Known license plate lighting devices may, for example, be installed above the license plate in a portion of the vehicle trunk or rear gate. Newer vehicles may also include a trunk or rear gate release disposed in the same general location as the license plate light. The gate release may include an electromechanical device, e.g. a solenoid, configured to release the gate upon user actuation of an associated switch.
In known vehicles, two separate wiring paths may be required for providing an electrical current to the separate license plate light and rear gate release modules. In vehicles incorporating a backing camera or radar, additional separate wiring paths and modules may be associated with these systems. The separate wiring paths and modules associated with the license plate light, rear gate release, backing camera or radar, etc. may require a cumbersome and expensive assembly procedure.